The Sign Donald Trump Is Still Bitter About JD Vance's Anti-MAGA Past

Before JD Vance became Donald Trump's left-field VP pick for the 2024 presidential election, he was a vocal critic of the divisive politician. In a chat with Charlie Rose, the Ohio senator asserted that although Trump had some valid concerns about the country's future, his entire campaign involved Trump unfairly shifting the blame onto others. However, that criticism paled in comparison to the scathing words that Vance had for Trump in a 2016 Facebook message shared by Vice. "I go back and forth between thinking Trump is a cynical a**hole like Nixon who wouldn't be that bad (and might even prove useful) or that he's America's Hitler," it read. And before he wholeheartedly started campaigning for the Republican candidate's presidency, Vance wrote a New York Times op-ed piece where he deemed Trump "unfit" to hold one of the most important jobs in the world. 

Trump and Vance's complicated relationship found greener pastures when they met at Mar-a-Lago in 2021, as also reported by The New York Times. During that fateful meeting, the former "Apprentice" host brought up the "Hillbilly Elegy" author's past criticism, and he apologized for believing the media's lies about him. But, during a 2024 firefighter union convention, the VP hopeful hinted that the former president hadn't entirely forgiven him for his remarks, quipping, "'Now this may come as a shock to you, but once upon a time I wasn't a Trump guy either. And trust me the president never lets me forget it," (via Fox59).

During JD Vance's appearance on NBC News' "Meet The Press," he revealed that Donald Trump had informed him that he would oppose a national abortion ban if re-elected. However, when the crucial topic came up during Trump's presidential debate with Kamala Harris, he couldn't recall ever having made that assertion to his running mate. "I didn't discuss it with JD," the former president clarified. "And I don't mind if he has a certain view. But I think he was speaking for me — but I really didn't," per The New York Times. A few days after the awkward debate fumble, Vance fell on his sword for Trump. Speaking again on "Meet The Press," the bestselling author acknowledged, "I've learned my lesson on speaking for the president before he and I have actually talked about an issue." 

Further, a little while before the presidential debate took place, Vance took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to erroneously claim that illegal Haitian immigrants in Springfield were causing problems among residents by eating their pets. Trump then parroted the shocking remark during the debate. As he ranted, moderator David Muir pointed out that the city manager of Springfield had informed ABC that there were no "credible reports" to back up Trump's proclamation (via YouTube). Despite being proven wrong, the controversial politician stood his ground and continued arguing. In contrast, Vance conceded in an X post that the accounts he had based his claim on may not have been entirely accurate.